Exploring the Six Dimensions of Food Security in New Jersey

Food security exists when all people, at all times have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Why food insecurity occurs is an issue with no easy answer, but the response to it is one that has fueled our 26-year mission: People need regular access to healthy, nutritious food.

The problem of food insecurity in New Jersey is a complex issue. Estimates are that nearly 3 billion pounds of food are wasted annually in the Garden State while 1.1 million residents, including 270,000 children, experience food insecurity. Determining the root causes of this widespread issue is also complex.

The New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate (OFSA) partnered with the Center for Nutrition & Health Impact to develop and implement a set of measures framed around the six dimensions of food security: Stability, utilization, access, agency, availability, and sustainability. OFSA recently published a report outlining what it found to be the reasons why food insecurity occurs. This data collection initiative informs the OFSA’s strategic planning efforts to ultimately guide cross-sector collaboration and policy development regarding food insecurity throughout New Jersey. Also, findings can serve as a baseline from which future progress can be measured.

The full report is embedded here:

Table to Table is New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue nonprofit, bridging the gap between food being wasted and people facing food insecurity. We bring rescued fresh, nutritious food to 303 community partners, including social service organizations, pantries, shelters, fresh produce markets and centralized distribution hubs. Food is provided free of charge. Through this, Table to Table touches a diversity of those in need, including families, children, veterans, and older adults, making good nutrition accessible while serving as a stimulus for other longer-term benefits. Since 1999 we have rescued more than 120,700 tons of nutritious food—enough for 241,400,846 million meals—and delivered it to our neighbors in need, saving over 544 metric tons of methane saved.

Related:

• What makes food insecurity worse? When Everything Else Costs More Too, Americans Say
• Food Insecurity on College Campuses
• Table to Table Gets $50K Grant to Fight Food Insecurity
• New Jersey School Food Waste Solution Leader Heather Thompson